Apparatus for coating articles



1954 B. J. BABBITT EIAL 2,696,167

APPARATUS FOR COATING ARTICLES Filed Feb. 21. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f M M/VL-WTORS 7 6'6 1 i B. J. 5/158! 77' 1/11 1/11 Ill/ 1/1 1/ L44 0. 42 W. J. Sea 77 A Tro/ms'r Dec. 7, 1954 B. J. BABBITT ETAL 2,696,167

APPARATUS FOR COATING ARTICLES Filed Feb. 21, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 44 l4 1 t .L

| f Q A I z T i I I I f /I r2-- 4o 1'; i; "1 g l $6 I I I I I will [/8 2 Q5 wuf Scarf ATTORNH United States Patent APPARATUS FOR COATING ARTICLES Bethel J. Babbitt, Riverside, Dan Kulie, Brookfield, and Walter J. Scott, Hinsdale, Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 21, 1951, Serial No. 212,122

12 Claims. (Cl. 101-126) This invention relates to apparatus for coating articles, and more particularly to apparatus for holding a platelike article while one face of the article is coated.

In the manufacture of plate-like articles having finishes on one face thereof in which a liquid coating, such as, for example, a ceramic coating, is applied to one face of such an article by the silk screen stencil type of coating, it has been difficult in the past to prevent smearing the liquid coating on the face of the screen next to the article. This is particularly true where a heavy coating is applied to the face of the article completely to one edge thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for coating articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for holding plate-like articles while coatings are applied to faces of the articles.

An apparatus illustrating certain features of the invention may include a holder composed of a resilient material having a recess formed therein for receiving an article at least partially therein with the side walls of the recess in closely spaced relation with the edges of the article, and means for forcing the side walls of the holder into close fitting engagement with the edges of the article.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of apparatus forming specific embodiments thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus forming one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an article coated by the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section similar to Fig. 4 with elements of the apparatus shown in different positions from those in which they are shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, top plan view of a portion of the apparatus taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,'and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, vertical section of an apparatus forming an alternate embodiment of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 an apparatus for applying a coating of ink to one face of a dial number plate 10. This apparatus includes a base 12 (Fig. 2) supporting a top plate 14 having a bore 15 (Figs. 4 and 5) formed therein and also being provided with a counterbore '16. A holding plate 18 is secured by bolts 19-19 in the counterbore 16, and has an annular groove 20 formed therein. An annular holder 22 composed of a tough, non-porous, highly resilient material, such as a rubber compound or a rubberlike compound as, for example, polymerized chloroprene (neoprene), is provided with an annular groove 24 in the upper portion thereof and a dished portion 26 formed in the lower portion thereof.

2,696,167 Patented Dec. 7, 1954 and a pin fastened rigidly to the sleeve 42 projects into a cam slot 52 formed in a cam sleeve 54 having a handle 56 fastened rigidly thereto. The sleeve 54 is secured by a flanged nut 58 and bolt 60 rotatably on the end of the post 44, and a handle 62 formed on the arm 56 projects through an arcuate slot 64 formed in the top plate 14.

The handle 62 may be grasped manually and swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, to move the cam sleeve 54 from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4. As the cam sleeve is so moved it moves the pin 50 downwardly to pull the sleeve 42 downwardly from the position in which these elements are shown in Fig. 5 to the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 4. This pulls the bushings 34-34 and the ring 38 downwardly to depress a web portion 68 of the holder 22, and forces jaw portions 70 and 71 formed by the Walls of the groove 24 tightly against the sides of the plate 30. The upper face of the holder is just slightly below the upper face of the plate 30. Gage rods, of which a gage rod 72 is shown, are mounted adjustably on arms 74-74 secured to the holding plate 16, and engage the ends of the pins 32-32 to support the plate 30 in a position in which the upper surface thereof is in a predetermined plane.

A frame (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) hinged to the top plate 14 carries a flexible silk screen 82 having filled masking portions 84 and 85 and an open portion 86. The frame 80 also holds a supply of ink 88 and a wiper 90, composed of compressible material such as rubber, and may be swung manually from an open position, in which it is shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, to a closed position thereof, in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 2. In the closed position of the frame, the open portion 86 of the screen is directly over and spaced closely to the upper face of plate 16. The open portion 86 extends slightly beyond the edges of the plate 10 to insure coating the entire portion of theupper face of the plate 10 and rounded outside edges of the upper surface. The wiper is then pressed manually against the screen 82 to press the screen against the upper face of the plate 16, and is moved across the screen to wipe the ink 88 through the open portion 86 of the screen onto the portions of the upper face of the plate 10 which are to be coated. As this occurs, the wiper also presses the flexible screen against the holder 22 to prevent forcing ink through the open portions of the screen slightly overlapping the upper face of the plate 10. The ink then is moved back and the frame 80 is moved to its open position, and is latched in that position by an over-center latch 92.

Operation of first embodiment With the frame 86 latched in its open position and the cam sleeve 54 in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5, the plate 16 is placed in the groove 24 in the holder 22 in such a position that pins 32-32 enter the bushings 34-34 and rest on the tops thereof. The cam sleeve is then turned by the rod 56 and handle 62 to the position of the cam sleeve shown in Fig. 4. As the cam sleeve is so turned, the sleeve 42 is forced downwardly and pulls the bushings 34-34 therewith. The plate 16 moves downwardly with the bushings 34-34 until the The dial number plate 10 to be coated fits loosely sleeve 42 mounted slidably on a post 44 projecting from the bottom of the holder 18. A key 46 keys the sleeve 42 to thepost 44 to prevent turning movement therebetween,

pins 32-32 engage the rods 72-72 and then stops. The plate 38 also is moved by the bushings 34-34 and depresses the web portion 68 of the holder 22 to force the jaws 70 and 71tightly against the sides of the plate 10 so that there is a seal therebetween up to the rounded corners of the upper face of the plate, in which position the upper surface of the holder is almost flush with the upper face of the plate. The frame 80 is then swung to its closed position, and the wiper 90 is used manually to force the screen 82 into engagement with the upper faces of the holder 22 and the plate 10 and to force ink through the open portion 86 of the screen onto the portion of the upper face of the plate 10 to be coated. Then the frame 80 is moved to its open position, and the cam sleeve 54 is moved to the position thereof shown in Fig. 5 to release the plate 10 from the jaws 70 and 71 of the mask 22 and the ring 38 is easily removed from the apparatus.

A-slight amount of ink is forced through the overlapping parts of the open portion 86 of the screen 82 as the wiper forces these parts-of the screen against the Alternate embodiment (Fig. 7)

This apparatus is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, except as described hereinbelow, and includes a holding plate 118 having an annular groove 129 formed therein. An annular resilient holder 122 corresponding to the holder 22 is provided with an annular groove 124 and a dished portion 126. Fixed cores 129129 fit loosely into bores 134l34 formed in the holder. Electromagnetic windings 138-138, when energized, magnetize the cores 125L429, which then pull a plate 110 composed of magnetic material to be inked to the cores. The magnetic forces of the cores embed the plate 110 in the mask, which forces the walls of the groove 124 tightly against the edges of the plate 110. Suitable selectively operable means (not shown) are provided for energizing the windings 138138. During the printing operation, the plate 110 to be inked is placed in the groove 124, and the windings are energized. The

plate 110 is held magnetically to the cores 129-129, and forces the dished portion 126 of the holder against the bottom or" the groove 12h to force the 'side walls of the groove 124 tightly against the edges of the plate 11%. windings 138l38 deenergized to permit removal of the inked plate 116 If desired the cores 13S--138 and the windings thereon may be U-shaped with both ends of each core projecting into separate bores in the holder 122 to form a low reluctance path with the portion of the plate 130 between the ends of the core. Also, the electromagnets may be solenoids with the cores movable in the windings and in contact with the ring.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An article-holder, which comprises a holding element composed of a resilient material forming a socket having upstanding walls defining an article receiving pocket of the general configuration of an article to be held, the bottom portion of the socket being flexible so that when flexed the upstanding walls of the socket are forced into close-fitting engagement with the sides of an article, and means for flexing the bottom portion of the socket.

2. An article-holder, which comprises a ring composed of resilient material having an annular groove formed in one face thereof and also being provided with relieved portions on the opposite side of the annular groove, a ring-shaped element fitting to the annular groove, and means for forcing the ring-shaped element hard against the bottom of the annular groove to force the sides of the annular groove against a ring-shaped article positioned in the groove.

3. An article-holding device, which comprises a backing plate having an annular groove formed therein and also being provided with a plurality of bores extending from the bottom of the groove to the opposite face of the plate, a holder composed of resilient material fitting tightly within the annular groove in the backing plate,

the holder being provided with an annular groove formed in the open face thereof and also having a relieved portion on the side thereof opposite the groove therein, the holder having a plurality of bores therethrough, a plurality of bushings projecting through the bores of the plate and the bores in the holder, a ring secured rigidly to the bushings and positioned in the groove in the holder, means for pulling the bushings and the ring in such a direction as to depress the bottom of the groove in the holder to force the walls of that groove against a number plate to be coated positioned in that groove, and a plu- The inking steps may then be effected and the 4 rality of pins projecting into the bushings for limiting movement of the number plate with the ring.

4. A device for shielding the sides of flat plates during coating operations comprising a relatively fiat rubber member having a cavity with upstanding walls formed in one face thereof of such size as to loosely hold one of said plates while leaving the top thereof exposed and having a generally aligned cavity in the bottom thereof, whereby movement of said plate downward results in such flexure of the walls of said upper cavity as to cause the edges of said plate to be firmly gripped and shielded, and means for moving said plate downwardly.

5. A holding device, which comprises a ring composed of resilient material having an annular groove formed in one surface thereof and also being provided with a relieved portion in an opposite surface to the annular groove to form a flexible web forming the bottom of the groove, said web serving to force the sides of the annular groove against the sides of an article positioned in the groove when the web is depressed, and means for depressing the web.

6. A holding device, which comprises a backing plate having an annular groove formed therein and also provided with bores extending therethrough from the bottom of the groove, a holder composed of polymerized chloroprene fitting tightly within the annular groove in the backing plate, the holder being provided with an annular groove formed in the open face thereof and being relieved opposite to the groove therein, the holder also having a plurality of bores therethrough, a plurality of bushings projecting through the bores in the plate and the bores in the holder, a ring positioned in the groove in the holder and secured rigidly to the bushings, means for pulling the bushings and the ring in such a direction as to force the ring toward the backing plate to move farther into the groove in the holder and lower an article positioned on the ring and having pins projecting into the bushings into the groove in the holder and compress the portions of the holder forming the side walls of the groove therein tightly against the sides of the article, and a plurality of rods projecting into the bushings and fixed relative to the backing plate for engaging the pins or" the article to limit movement of the article with the bushings.

7. A holding device, which comprises a holder composed of compressible material having a socket for receiving at least a portion of an article composed at least partially of magnetic material, an armature in the holder near the bottom of the socket, and an electromagnetic winding for inducing magnetic flux in the armature and the article to pull the article by means of the armature hard against the bottom of the socket.

8. A holding device, which comprises a ring composed of an elastomer compound having an annular groove in one face for receiving a plate to be coated composed of magnetic material, said ring having bores extending therethrough from the bottom of the groove and being relieved on the side thereof opposite to the groove, means for holding the ring, a plurality of fixed electromagnetic cores fitting into the bores, and a plurality of electromagnetic windings for magnetizing the cores to pull the article by magnetic force hard against the bottom of the groove.

9. A printing device, which comprises a mask having open flexible screen portions of dimensions slightly larger than those portions of a face of an article to be coated, a holder composed of resilient material having a socket therein of a depth and shape substantially the same as those of the article for receiving the article, means for forcing the walls of the socket against the sides of the article, means for pressing the screen against the articlein a position in which the open flexible screen portrons of the mask overlap the portions of mask adjacent to the socket, and means for forcing a coating liquid through the open flexible screen portions to coat said face of the article, said holder serving to seal the portions of the open flexible portion of the screen opposite thereto.

l0. A coating device, which comprises a holding element composed of a resilient material having a socket of the general configuration of an article to be coated and of substantially the same depth as the article, means for forcing .an article to be coated hard into the socket to force the walls of the socket into close fitting engagement with the sides of the article, a flexible mask having an open screen portion and impervious portions, means for locating the screen with the open screen portion extending over the article and partially over the holding element, and means for forcing the mask against the holding element and the article and a coating liquid therethrough.

11. A holding device, which comprises a backing plate having an annular groove formed therein and bores there through, a holder composed of resilient material fitting tightly within the annular groove in the backing plate, the holder being provided with an annular groove formed in the open face thereof and a relieved portion on the face thereof opposite the groove therein, said holder having a plurality of bores therethrough, a plurality of bushings projecting through the bores of the plate and the bores in the holder, a ring secured rigidly to the bushings and positioned in the groove in the holder, means for pulling the bushings and the ring in such a direction as to force the ring toward the backing plate to move an article positioned on the ring, having pins projecting into the bushings farther into the groove in the holder and to compress the portions of the holder forming the side walls of the groove therein tightly against the sides of the article, a plurality of rods projecting into the bushings and fixed relative to the backing plate for engaging the pins on the article to limit movement of the article with the ring, a mask having flexible screen portions, and means for pressing the screen portions of the mask against the holder and the article and forcing a coating liquid through the screen portions of the mask.

12. A coating apparatus, which comprises a holder composed of a resilient material and having a recess formed therein for receiving a plate substantially but not quite completely therein so that the holder and the uncovered face of the plate is almost flush with the holder, means for forcing the portions of the holder adjacent to the edges of the plate into close fitting engagement with those edges, a mask having flexible open screen portions, means for forcing the open screen portions of the mask against the plate and the holder, and means for forcing a coating liquid through the screen portions onto the plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,024,286 Santilli Apr. 23, 1912 1,642,607 Fordyce Sept. 13, 1927 1,800,578 Webb Apr. 14, 1931 2,064,284 Wulf Dec. 15, 1936 2,124,011 Smith July 19, 1938 2,144,849 Moore Jan. 24, 1939 2,341,621 Johnson Feb. 15, 1944 2,363,846 Duggan Nov. 28, 1944 2,388,137 Graumlich Oct. 30, 1945 2,597,543 Suben May 20, 1952 2,607,620 Oliveri Aug. 19, 1952 

